Santa Anita Horse Racing Picks for Saturday 5/20/23

The rebranded spring portion of the Santa Anita six-month racing season started on Friday, April 21 with a new moniker – the “Hollywood Meet."

There are 10 races Saturday at "The Great Race Place", and post time is at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. local time.

As always, check the program for scratches and changes, and monitor the weather track conditions.

(I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure in selected races, which tells you how fast a horse has been running in each of its races after adjusting for track, distances, and conditions).

Santa Anita Betting

According to numberFire horse racing projections and Guaranteed Tip Sheet, these are some of the best bets to make at FanDuel Racing today.

FanDuel Racing's May 19 picks at Pimlico went 3-for-3 and produced an 11/1 winner on Taxed in theBlack-Eyed Susan Stakes that also paid $190 on a $2 exacta bet. Did you also follow FanDuel Racing picks and cash at Santa Anita and top pick Pequena Tormenta, an 11-length winner. The April 22 card at Santa Anita went 3-for-3 winners including a pair of stakes races, plus two more winners on May 12 including an Exacta score.

Mobile betting on horse racing is easy with the best-in-class experience at FanDuel.

1. Fiamina and Conquest Celsius, Race 3

FanDuel Racing Odds: 5/2 and 8/5
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Race 3 is a Maiden Special Weight for baby 2-year-old fillies that are Cal-bred. A short 4 1/2 furlong sprint and numberFire's win contenders are Crazy Hot (5/2), Fiamina (5/2), and Conquest Celsius (8/5). Conquest Celsius finished fourth at odds-on in her debut and stumbled at the break. Fiamina should also improve in her second start for EPO trainer Peter Miller.

2. Freedom Flyer and Big Summer, Race 8

FanDuel Racing Odds: 4/1 and 7/2
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Race 8 is the $100,000 Mizdirection Stakes for older fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf course. The numberFire data likes Very Scary (5/1) and Elm Drive (4/1) as win challengers with many contenders in this wide open stakes race. That includes Big Summer (7/2), who has never missed the money in six starts on Santa Anita grass, according to GTS. Freedom Flyer (4/1) has the meets top jockey Juan Hernandez riding, and also the speed for a pressing trip having won on this hillside course two races back. Very Scary finished third in successive graded turf stakes at one mile and she ran faster fractions last out and now cuts back to a sprint.

3. Strike That and Joker Boy, Race 9

FanDuel Racing Odds: 8/5 and 5/2
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Race 9 is a Claiming race for older horses at 6 furlongs. A best bet is on Strike That (8/5) as the favorite and he earns speed figures that match or exceed par for this class level. His speed and pressing trip should hold off Joker Boy (5/2) as a late threat. Joker Boy split the field last out in a tougher starter allowance while earning a relatively high figure.